


Love Is A Tired Work

by ununquadius



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angel Hermione, Angel Ron, Christmas, Drarry, F/M, Fluff, Humour, Love Angels AU, M/M, POV Ron Weasley, Soulmate AU, love kisses, romione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 14:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19975267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ununquadius/pseuds/ununquadius
Summary: Ron is a love angel. His work consists on making humans fall in love with his soulmates. Easy, right? The problem is Ron has being lazy this past year and his boss isn't happy with it. They make a deal: Ron gets a job in Pregnancies if he does his last work to perfection or, if he fails, he gets a new job in Divorces (and nobody wants Divorces). His last work? Making Harry Potter fall in love with Draco Malfoy.Also he's in love with Hermione Granger, another reason to get that job in Pregnancies.





	Love Is A Tired Work

**Author's Note:**

> It was December when I read this post (https://moonllotus.tumblr.com/post/181428490836/every-time-a-bell-rings) in Tumblr and the idea of Ron as an angel that has to make drarry happen began to exist in my mind. It had take me a lot of time to write this, but I'm happy to finally share it with you all!
> 
> I want to thank MarchnoGirl for the constant cheerleading and the ideas she shared with me while I was writing this. This fic is as yours as mine, dear! Or well, it's my son and your nephew haha And I want to thank cherinaca too, who read this fic before it was posted and almost suffocated (oops!). Love you both so so much!!
> 
> And of course, I want to thank potter for being a wonderful beta. I can't thank you enough nor tell you what your beta work means to me! I'll always be in awe at betas! <3
> 
> Also, thanks to keyflight, who read this the first one a long time ago, and to the people on discord who shared with me some historical facts so I could write a silly sentence here and then not use any of the things they told me, sorry dears. 
> 
> Now, read and enjoy!

_Wednesday, 13th December 2000_  
11am  
Cupid’s office  
Cupid’s Corporation 

“Ron, I have work for you.”

Ron sighed as he made himself comfortable in the fluffy chair in front of Cupid’s huge desk. Why a love angel that was seated all day needed such a huge office and desk was beyond Ron’s comprehension. He had to make do with a small table, covered in all of his own paperwork to complete. Although if he had been on time with the deadlines, maybe he would have had less parchments on it he mused. 

“What do I have to do?”

“Field work.” Cupid furrowed his brow as he stared directly at him. Ron sighed again. He knew what was coming. “You've been lazy. Others have reached their quota already, and you… you’re far behind it. Something you want to say about that?” He exclaimed.

“I have done ten jobs in the last fifteen years, Sir. In my humble opinion, it’s not that bad.”

“The quota is ten per year, and this year you’ve achieved…” He checked the papers before him, although Ron was sure he had memorized the number, “zero.”

“Humans are annoying. They just don’t fall in love as they should.”

“Maybe they need a little help… that’s why you’re here, remember?”

“Okay, okay. But what if we make a deal, Sir? I do this job, my last job, and then I get a promotion to Pregnancies. Think about all the little efficient angels you have out there awaiting their turn. I’m sure they’ll do thousands of Fallings In Love per year!”

Pregnancies was Ron’s dream job. It was so easy, the angels there seemed so at peace with the world. They only had to shoot a Pregnancy arrow at some people. And they didn’t even have to look for the women: a red parchment told them which one needed the arrow. Besides… Hermione Granger worked there. 

“Alright, alright.. Finish this job to perfection before the year ends, and you’ll have that promotion. Fail at it, and you’ll be in charge of Divorces for the rest of your life.”

“You’ll be astounded at how well I’m going to do it, sir,” Ron replied with glee.

“Okay, Ron,” Cupid said in a defeated tone. He stood up and passed him a parchment with his lastest (last!) work. “This is the human: Harry Potter. His soulmate is Draco Malfoy. Go.”

“A clue in how I make this work? Sir?”

“GO!”

* * *

_Wednesday, 13th December 2000_  
1pm  
Petunia’s Flowers. Florist since 1980  
London 

“Petunia’s Flowers… what a ridiculous name for a florist shop.”

It had taken him longer than he had thought to find that Harry Potter boy. The parchment his boss had given him only provided a single piece of information containing his address, but Potter wasn’t at home. So here he was, at the man’s work, a cheerful florist shop with an overly too pink sign screaming discounts in roses and daisies. 

He entered the shop and went straight for the counter. 

“Welcome to Petunia’s, sir! Something I can help you with?” a young man emerging from the counter said. 

“Yes, are you Harry Potter?” He was pretty sure the man was Potter, but he didn’t want a repetition of that time in 1765 when he had tried to make a woman fall in love with her own son because he had mistaken her with a VERY similar woman.

“Yes, I am.”

“Phew, I mean, I knew you were you, but I just had to make sure. So, I’m your love angel and I’m h—” 

“Excuse me? You’re my what?” Potter replied in confusion, he was looking at him like he had gone crazy. 

Ron sighed. He really hated this part.

“I’m your love angel. Ron. Well, let’s…”

“What? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“No, listen, I know this sounds weird, but I'm an angel and…”

“You’re insane. Get out of here.”

“I’m not insane… Gosh, how I hate this part. Come here.”

Ron grabbed Potter’s hand as he struggled to free himself and disappeared with a pop to a deserted alley near the florist shop. 

“AHHH! Whoa, how did you do that? We were in the shop and now we’re in an alley…” Harry exclaimed wildly as he looked around with wide eyes.

The man looked around him in disbelief. Ron looked unamused; he had seen similar reactions thousands of times before. 

“I told you, I’m an angel, I can do all sorts of weird stuff. So, look, these are my wings.” He exclaimed as his two large feathery wings emerged . They were hidden when he was on Earth, but he had discovered that showing them to the humans made things move along faster. “See? Impressive, eh? Do you believe me now?”

“I… Yes… Whoa, I can’t believe this is real.”

“It is.”

“Whoa.”

“Don’t you know any other word?”

“What does it mean that you’re my angel?” Potter asked ignoring his question. He looked calmer now, at least his eyes didn't look like they were going to pop out anymore. 

“I’m your love angel. It means that I’m here to make sure you fall in love with the right person.”

“Oh! And… have I a say in the matter? I really like Ginny Prewett…” Potter looked hopeful now. Well, Ron was about to destroy that hope. 

“If I were you, I would forget about Ginny. But don't worry I'm sure you’ll love your soulmate.”

“Who's she, then?”

“He,” Ron emphasized the word, “is…”

“He? But I'm not gay! My soulmate can't be a man!”

Oh great! He’s one of those, Ron thought. He had worked with people like that many times before. They refused to listen because they thought they were too straight, too gay, too rich, too white, too Christian, too atheist, or too whatever for their soulmates. But Cupid’s angels never made mistakes. Ron readied himself for hard work; he’d have to make Potter realise he liked men before presenting him his soulmate. 

“Okay, Potter, I think we’d better talk about this when you don't have to work and we aren't standing in a smelly alley, what do you think?”

“Alright. I think you need to confirm that my soulmate is male before we continue this. And it's Harry.”

“He’s a male,” Ron said through clenched teeth. “Okay, see you tonight!”

He disappeared without a reply to a quiet park to think about his strategy. Cases like this one were always difficult, people were harder to convince to fall in love when they haven't figured out a few things about themselves first.

* * *

_Wednesday, 13th December 2000_  
11:37 pm  
Harry Potter’s apartment  
London 

“Harry.”

“...”

“Harry!”

“...”

“HARRY POTTER!”

It was fun watching Harry jump from his peaceful sleep at Ron’s scream. 

“Hi there!”

“What… what are you doing here?” Harry scrambled as he reached for his glasses on the bedside table and peered carefully at Ron. 

“We need to talk about your preferences, remember?” Ron spoke as he made himself comfortable in a soft lumpy armchair next to Harry’s bed. 

“And it has to be now? I work tomorrow, you know?”

“Yes, it has to be now. So, have you thought about what I told you?”

“About me being gay? Yes, and I’m not. I still like Ginny Prewett.”

“Maybe you’re bisexual, or pansexual. You can be attracted to both genres.”

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in thought. Ron prayed that he wasn’t one of those. He hated when he had to explain basic concepts like bisexuality, asexuality, or, in one unforgettable time, love. Although in the human’s defence, she had been severely abused.

“I… I don’t think I am.”

Ron sighed. This was going to be a long night. 

“Have you ever looked at some man and wondered how attractive he was, or how nice of an arse he had, or something like that?”

Silence filled the room as he waited for Harry to think about it. Harry stared at Ron as if it were the wildest thing he'd ever heard, and Ron could see how he was ready to snap at him for suggesting something so ridiculous. However, Harry surprised him. 

“Yes,” he said in a small voice as he flushed red . 

“See?” Ron smiled to encourage him. “Which one was it? I bet it was the arse staring.”

A deeper blush answered Ron’s question. 

“Knew it. Well, I’ll let you sleep now so this sinks in. We’ll have another little chat tomorrow at 5pm. Florean’s Café. Night!”

* * *

_Thursday, 14th September 2000_  
5:19 pm  
Florean’s Café  
London 

Ron was late but it wasn't his fault. He had been writing up his paperwork related to Harry's case and had been distracted by Hermione’s presence. They had been friends for many years, but the problem was that Ron wanted something else with her although she would never look at someone like him.

When he arrived at Florean’s Café, Harry was already there. The café was a small crowded place. The kind of place that was cosy and welcome to everyone of all ages, especially in winter, when the smell of tea, coffee, and cakes seemed the best way to fight the cold of the streets. 

“Hey, mate, sorry I’m late,” Ron said taking a seat in front of Harry, who smiled tensely at him. “Something wrong?”

Harry fidgeted with his cup as he spoke. 

“I… Look, I think you're wrong. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with a guy.”

“I assure you I'm very right. We don't make mistakes with this. You may think that now, but he’s already your soulmate, the person that will make you the happiest.”

“So what's your job then? If I'm supposed to fall in love with him anyway… Why are you here?” 

“I'm here because humans are idiots that don't know who's better for them.”

Harry still looked nervous. It was clear to Ron that he wasn't comfortable about any of this. He had seen it before. Like that time in the Middle Ages with those farmers. It was a pity they were killed so quickly after he had finally convinced them they were meant to be together. 

“Will it make it easier if I show you your soulmate?”

“Maybe…”

“Okay. Let's meet him. He's in a pub. In Kensington.”

“How posh,” Harry said standing up. 

“Oh, he is that! You’ll see.”

* * *

_Thursday, 14th December, 2000_  
6:07 pm  
The Three Broomsticks  
London 

They positioned themselves in front of The Three Broomsticks, a pub with large glass windows that allowed them to see the customers from the other side of the street. Ron motioned Harry to come around to see his soulmate. 

“There he is. See the blond bloke?” Ron pointed to a slender, pale, blond man who was laughing at something one of his friends said. 

“Draco Malfoy?”

“Oh, you know him!” Ron said, ignoring the horrified tone in Harry's voice. “Want to go inside and talk to him?”

“Malfoy can't be my soulmate! He’s a stupid git, a racist, an arrogant prat with a stick up his arse, and I'm sure he's an homophobe too!” Harry cried in anger. Why couldn't this be one of those easy works in which all Ron has to do was point out his human’s soulmate? 

“How long have you known him? Maybe he's changed.”

“We were together at Hogwarts School. He was in Slytherin House and an idiot like the lot of them. Always talking about how wealthy his family was, about all the things he had, and saying shit to other students. He bullied my friends and me, and called one of my friends really bad names for being Chinese.” 

“That's… awful,” Ron grimaced. “But he is your soulmate. As I told you before, you will be the happiest with him.”

“I’d prefer to be sad for the rest of my life then,” Harry crossed his arms and scowled at the window. 

Draco Malfoy was taking a sip from his beer as Ron peered at him closely. He didn't look like a prat to Ron nor like someone about to talk shit about other people, but you never knew, he mused. Ron had experience in that. But Cupid never made mistakes. 

“Look, you don't know him now,” Ron tried again. “It’s been… What? Three years since you ended school and last saw him? People change and grow overtime. They stop being whiny teenagers to become… whiny adults.”

“I don't think he can change.” If glares could kill, Malfoy would be a pile of ashes by now. 

“Okay…Let's start with something easier. How was your relationship with him?”

“I told you. He bullied me and my friends.”

“No, not that. I'm asking about you, not him. I don't care about what he did, but what about your reactions, your thoughts, and feelings,” Ron tried his best to appear professional with an open sentence, something he had learned in mandatory course back in 1308. He hoped things hadn't changed much in the last years on how to approach these situations. 

“I insulted him to defend my friends and I. And… We were rivals too. We were the forwards in our houses football teams. We both were very good actually, so we always fought before and during the matches.”

“So you admire him. I mean,” Ron quickly amended. “I mean you appreciate he could play well. That's the first positive thing you’ve said about him. Is there anything else?”

“Mmm. Well. Maybe.” Harry looked hesitant, but Ron knew him well enough by now to realise that he was the kind of person who always searched for good in everyone. “He lied to a professor once to cover my friends and I. He would have been in a lot of trouble, but he lied… and saved us,” Harry stated in a hushed tone.

“Why do you think he lied?”

“He was scared. The professor was evil. I think, I think she was doing… suspicious things with him, so he saved us.”

The look on Harry's face prevented Ron to ask further questions about this professor. Sometimes he wished to be an avenger angel instead of a love one. 

“So he isn't that bad then,” Ron looked for a sign of surrender in Harry but apparently he was determined to unlove his soulmate. 

“I suppose. But that doesn't mean I don't hate him. And he hates me too. And he's a man, and I'm still not so sure I like men.”

“For Cupid’s wrinkly wings! I thought we were past that now! You enjoyed looking at bloke’s arses!”

“Only one arse!” Harry's face flushed in embarrassment, and he looked suddenly very nervous. 

“Oh, and was this Draco Malfoy’s arse?” Ron asked, feeling the victory. 

Harry quickly muttered something about being late, and turned around. He disappeared down the street in a flash.

Ron sighed. He had been so close to win. 

The cold of the winter night was beginning to bother him, so he decided to head to the pub to soak some warmth and observe Malfoy for a while. Maybe he could obtain information to throw at Harry the next day.

* * *

_Friday, 15th December, 2000_  
7:08am  
Harry Potter’s flat  
London 

“Good morning, sunshine!” Ron entered Harry's flat as if it were casual routine, like he owned the place. His happy greeting, however, was answered with a short grunt. 

Ron made himself comfortable on the counter and watched Harry sip from his mug with his eyes clouded with sleep.

“Are you always this cheerful in the mornings?”

Another grunt. 

“Do you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and therefore should be something more nutritional than a cup of tea?”

Harry placed the cup on the table and glared at him. 

“Are you always so annoying in the mornings?”

“Nope. I'm always annoying!” Ron stated as a matter of factly as he hopped from the counter and placed himself in a chair facing Harry. “I watched your boy last night. Want to hear about him?”

“Malfoy’s not my boy. And I don't care about him.” Harry picked up an apple from a platter, and bit into it with a pointed look at Ron. 

“Healthy. I’ll tell you anyway. I think that either he isn't like he was anymore or you were exaggerating.”

“He’s a prat.”

“I don't deny it, but I don't think he's a racist or an arrogant or a homophobe.”

“And why’s that?” Harry asked with a roll of his eyes. Ron couldn't be sure but he was beginning to feel Harry was losing interest. 

“One of his friends is black. And he didn't sound arrogant to me. A bit of a prat, perhaps, but not too arrogant. And, he and Pansy, one of his friends, were gossiping about how good looking a bloke at the bar was.”

“So he’s gay, has a black friend and isn't too arrogant. Yay. Does he want a trophy for reaching the status of a decent human being?” Harry had finished his apple. He got up, placed the cup in the sink, and turned to face Ron. “I don't like him, and I never will. You can stop trying now. I have to go to work.”

And with that Harry left leaving Ron alone in the tiny flat. It was time to look for help if he wanted that work in Pregnancies.

* * *

_Friday, 15th December, 2000_  
9:34 am  
Fallings In Love Department  
Cupid’s Corporation 

Ron had spent the last hours researching. He needed something, anything, that convinced Harry that Draco was his soulmate. The problem was that Ron was too empathetic. That had always been his problem. That was why he usually did less Fallings In Love than his coworkers. He could imagine how Harry was feeling, so he couldn't find in himself anything that made him change his mind. Besides, he hadn’t liked that Malfoy lad too much. 

He absentmindedly twirled his quill, thinking, but nothing came to mind. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Hermione asked with a large pile of parchments grasped tightly in her arms and a gentle smile. Ron’s stomach filled with warmth at the sight of Hermione. 

“My human doesn't like his soulmate. Too much work on Pregnancies?” He pointed to the parchments. 

“The usual,” Hermione shrugged. “Have they talked?”

“They were in the same school and hated each other. This is the enemies to lovers sort of thing. And you know I’m rubbish at it.”

Once four angels were given the task to make various humans fall in love that had hated their soulmates. Three did it in less than a year, Ron’s only did it when he was senile and couldn't remember why he hated his soulmate. 

“Yes, I remember.” Hermione had been the angel of the woman supposed to fall in love with Ron’s human. She found her a substitute soulmate. “Maybe you could talk to your human’s soulmate’s angel? Teamwork works better sometimes.”

“It’s Snape.”

“Oh!”

They glanced in the direction of their co-worker. Severus Snape was an older angel; he was there since the time humans began to exist. And he was a bitter idiot too. He had fallen in love with a human. A beautiful and witty red-haired that had refused to be his girlfriend and had fallen in love with the human meant for her. Since that moment, Snape, who had never been too nice, had become the most hated angel in the Department, always treating his coworkers with arrogance and refusing to do his job. Ron doubted that Draco Malfoy even knew he had an angel. 

“What can I do? If I don't do this before the end of the year, Cupid’s going to send me to Divorces!” Ron heard the pathetic begging tone in his voice, but he didn't care. Nobody wanted Divorces. 

“You have to show them that they belong together.”

“How?”

“I don't know, Ron! He’s not my human!” Hermione shook her head in exasperation and left briskly to her office. 

Ron fiddled with his quill a moment more while he awaited inspiration to hit him.

* * *

_Sunday, 17th December, 2000_  
11:06 am  
Draco Malfoy’s Flat  
London 

It was very unconventional, in fact, he was sure he wasn’t allowed to do it, but did he have another option? No, he didn’t, Ron mused. 

He had thought about a thousand strategies, but none of them seemed good enough. Harry was convinced he and that Malfoy bloke didn’t match, and Ron had enough experience to know how to recognize a stubborn git when he had one in front of him. At last, he had decided for the non conventional approach. He had looked for Draco Malfoy’s address and, without a word to anyone, had disappeared to his flat. A very posh flat. 

The boy in question was nowhere in sight, although Ron knew he was somewhere in there. He began nosing about the big shelves full of books when he heard a scream behind him. 

“Finally!” he said, turning around to face a naked Draco Malfoy. 

“WHO ARE YOU? GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I’M GOING TO CALL THE POLICE!”

“There’s no need for that. Put on something decent, we have some talking to do.” Malfoy didn’t look convinced by Ron’s wise words, so with a sigh he realised he had to tell the I’m your love angel bit again. How he hated that part. “Look, I’m your love angel. See my wings?” He made them appear. “Now, can you put on some clothes? I get rather uncomfortable around naked people.”

“You got… you’re… naked… love… what?” Malfoy was staring at him with his eyes as big as saucers, and his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water. 

“I’m your love angel,” It wasn’t the truth but he wasn’t about to explain his problems to a naked human. “I’m here to make you fall in love with the right person. Please, tell me you already know you’re gay?”

“Y-yes, I know.”

“Can you dress now, please?”

Malfoy nodded and rushed to a room behind Ron. Ron waited. And waited. Cupid, 18th century aristocrats took less time to get dressed! Finally, he returned. 

“What the hell were you doing in there? I expected you to come out wearing something more impressive than jeans and a T-shirt.”

“So, you’re my love angel, right?” Malfoy asked, a calculating look in his eyes. Ron sensed problems. 

“Yes, I am.”

“So, you’re going to set me up with someone or do I have a say in the matter?” A smirk now. Uh-oh.

“It’s already settled,” Ron wanted to run. He didn’t like the look on Malfoy’s eyes. It was greedy. 

“Oh. And who’s he?” He asked, feigning disinterest. 

“Harry Potter. And before you start to ramble about him, he’s a decent man, kind, and—”

“I know. So, what now? Will you help me seduce him?”

“You’re… you’re okay with it?” Ron asked, surprised. Was this how the other angels felt all the time? Ron’s humans always have a problem or two with their soulmates, they never accept them readily. 

“Yes, I’ve been pining after him for ages. But I should admit, you don’t look like the type that know about these things,” Malfoy said, eyeing him from head to toe. 

“I have you know, I’m very good at this kind of things, you git! Go tomorrow to the Florean’s Café, at 4 o’clock. You’ll have Harry there waiting for you.” 

Ron disappeared in a rush, feeling humiliated and wanting to slap that git. How dare he say he didn’t know about romantic stuff? It was his job! And he was one of the best— well, he was one of the love angels after all.

* * *

_Sunday, 17th December, 2000_  
11:58 am  
Harry Potter’s Flat  
London 

“Thank god, you’re dressed!” Ron greeted when he entered Harry’s flat. Harry looked up surprised from his place on the small cosy couch. Ron dropped himself next to him with a tired sigh. It had been only a few days since he started this job, and he was already drained. 

“I thought you were going to stop making me love Malfoy.”  
“Obviously, you thought wrong.” Ron closed his eyes, and placed his head on the back of the sofa. 

“Are you alright? You look bloody tired.”

“I’m the love angel of a git that doesn’t like his soulmate, and the angel of his soulmate is a git too so I can’t work with him, and I think Hermione likes Cormac.” Ron didn’t bother to open his eyes; he was too comfortable. 

“I’ll ignore the part where you called me a git. Who are Hermione and Cormac?”

“Cormac is an idiot that works in Break Ups. And Hermione…” He opened his eyes to look at Harry. “Hermione is the most amazing angel. She’s intelligent, funny, brave, independent, pretty.” He could feel the heat of a blush spread across his face and ears. 

“Aww! You like her!” Harry said, smiling. 

“I love her,” Ron whispered, then frowned. “But she doesn’t like me back. She’s too good for me.”

“What? Why would you say that?”

“It’s true. She’s amazing, Harry!” he sat up in excitement. “She knows about everything! They sent us to Ancient Egypt once to cover two angels that were on their honeymoon, and she knew everything about the culture! I only knew about Neolithic British customs, that in that day were all about putting some stones over other stones.”

“Have you tried talking to her about it?”

“Of course not! Haven’t you listened to me? She’s too perfect!” He went back to his prostrate position. 

“For being a love angel, you’re a bit lost with your love life, aren’t you?” Harry smirked at him. 

“I’m not the only one lost with his love life in this room, aren’t I?” he smirked back. 

“Ugh, not that again!” Harry stood up, and went to the small kitchen. Ron followed him. “I don’t like him!”

“He does.” Ron leaned on the counter and watched Harry intently. The boy flushed and the glass he was holding almost escaped his fingers. “Easy! You’re going to drop that.”

Harry quickly placed the glass on the counter.

“He… he does?”

“Yeah. And he seemed delighted with the idea of having you as his soulmate.”

“Yes?” A small smile was starting to form across Harry’s face. 

“Yes. And you were right about his arse. A very good one. I saw him naked. You’re a lucky man, Harry.”

“Right?” Harry’s eyes were shining, and a pink blush had reclaimed his cheeks. “I mean… no. I don’t like him. And I bet he’s still the idiot from school.”

“We’ve been over that, remember? Why don’t you just accept you like him? Or at least give him a chance.”

“No.” Harry picked up his glass again and filled it with pumpkin juice. 

“He’ll be waiting for you tomorrow at 4 o’clock in Florean’s Café,” Ron said, inwardly praying Harry realised that this was what he wanted and accepted. “And you’re going to go and give him a chance.”

“I’ll… I’ll try.”

“Yes!” Ron jumped, and hugged Harry. Pregnancies was closer and closer.

* * *

_Monday, 18th December, 2000_  
2:55 pm  
Petunia’s Flowers. Florist since 1980  
London 

Harry was putting a huge bow around a bouquet for an old lady when Ron entered. He looked up and furrowed his eyebrows, but that was his only reaction at seeing him. 

Ron wasn’t going to let this chance go away; he’d drag Harry if he had to. He had done this before, like when the soulmate’s of that idiot was his reflection in a lake and he had to push his head towards the water. 

“What are you doing here?” Harry muttered once his client had left. 

“Making sure you go to your date.”

“I said I’d go, right?” Harry said, organising the counter. 

“Just in case.” Ron picked up a daisy, and pulled some petals absent-mindedly. 

“Oh! Look at the angel in love! Will the daisy tell you if Hermione loves you?” Harry said with a smirk. 

“Your soulmate smirks a lot too.” Ron threw the daisy at Harry’s face. 

“Boy! Don’t forget to arrange the daffodils!” a screeching voice said from somewhere in the shop.

“No, Aunt Petunia!” Harry shouted back with a bitter expression. “This may take a while,” he said to Ron. 

Ron offered his help, and so between the two of them they managed to complete the work. Not that Ron helped that much. He wasn’t a florist after all. They left the shop when the clock struck 4 o’clock. They were going to be late. They ran, or Ron ran and dragged Harry. 

Finally they arrived.

* * *

_Monday, 18th December, 2000_  
4:10 pm  
Florean’s Café  
London 

Ron licked his finger and cleaned a mark on Harry’s cheek with saliva, ignoring his loud protests. 

“There!” He flattened the boy’s hair a bit. “Astounding!” He pushed him inside the café. “Now make that bloke fall in love with you!”

He entered behind Harry, and took place in a nearby table. He wasn’t about to leave this to fate. 

“How’s it going?” Hermione said. She had appeared from nowhere, and took a sit next to Ron before he could even form a coherent thought. “Is your human more willing now?”

“I think so. That’s him. The dark haired one.”

They watched how Malfoy’s face lit up when Harry took a seat in front of him; they watched how they talked and ordered their food; they watched how Malfoy laughed, smirked, and made doe eyes. But they didn’t see Harry because he had his back to them. 

“Do you think he’s enjoying it?” Ron whispered nervous. 

“I don’t know! I only see the back of his head!” Hermione whispered back. 

“But does it look like a happy head to you?”

“Why don’t you go there if you’re so anxious?” Hermione snapped. Ron nodded and was half way of getting up, when an iron grip from Hermione made him sat down again. “Don’t you dare! You wait here and ask him when they finish.”

“He may need help!”

“And what are you going to do? Just leave him alone,” Hermione looked at him with those brown eyes that made Ron’s insides feel like a million butterflies, and patted his arm affectionately. “It’ll be fine.”

An hour went by and Harry and Draco were still sat at the table in front of them. Ron had destroyed more than twenty paper napkins in his nervous state and Hermione’s words and presence only made him even more nervous. 

Finally, the two young men got up. They left together, and both of them winked at Ron when they passed by his table. Ron sighed in relief. It was working. 

“Does Draco know you too?” Hermione asked with a frown. 

Fuck. 

“No?”

“Why did he wink at you, then?” Her frown deepened as her eyes filled with suspicion. 

“Maybe Harry told him I’m his friend?”

“Why are you answering me with questions?” Her eyebrows were one thick line over her eyes now. 

“I’m not?” The panic settled in his stomach. If Hermione discovered he had talked to Draco, who wasn’t his human… well, he didn’t think she would say anything, but she would pester him for years about it, like when he had discouraged a man to woo his human only because that made Ron’s work easier. Hermione raised an eyebrow. “Okay! I talked to him! But Hermione, I didn’t have any other option!”

“You know we can’t do that!”

“But you’re the best angel ever, the most beautiful, the most intelligent, so you won’t say a word, right?” he pleaded. 

“I won’t,” she said with what Ron thought was a fond smile. 

“Yay! I love you!” he launched forward and hugged her tightly, relishing in the contact with Hermione’s body. She hugged him back, laughing.  
“Idiot,” she said and gave him a little kiss on his cheek. Ron could feel his insides melt. He wished the moment lasted longer, but she pulled back and left. She had work to do.

* * *

_Monday, 18th December, 2000_  
5:30 pm  
Harry Potter’s Flat  
London 

Ron paced from the sofa to the kitchen counter and back. Harry wasn't home yet, and Ron needed to know how the date had gone.

* * *

_Monday, 18th December, 2000_  
8:16 pm  
Harry Potter’s Flat  
London 

“Where the fuck is he?” Ron asked aloud in the empty room. The TV was showing some stupid rom-com but he had seen enough of that in his life to be interested in another one.

* * *

_Monday, 18th December, 2000_  
11:35 pm  
Harry Potter’s Flat  
London 

“That’s it! I’m going to look for him! Maybe that prat murdered him!” He was about to leave the house when the door opened and Harry with a very silly smile entered. “Finally! Where have you been? How did it go? Are you okay? Do you love him already? Do you finally think he’s your soulmate? He’s an idiot, right? Did he hurt you? I’ll kill him if he hurt you. Is he nice? Can you please answer me!?”

“Oh, hi, Ron!” Harry greeted. Very cheerfully. Ron was starting to question his sanity. Maybe Draco was a drug dealer, that happiness couldn’t be healthy. 

“Well? What happened!?” 

“It went well,” Harry shrugged and went to his bedroom. 

“Just well?” Ron went after him. He wasn’t leaving without his answers. “You’ve been with him for seven hours and all you can say is just well?” Draco had definitely drugged Harry.  
“It was…,” Harry started to say while undressing and putting on his pyjamas. That silly smile was still on his face. “It was amazing, Ron! I didn’t think I would ever have such a great time with Draco Malfoy, but it was! He even apologized for being a prat in school! We like the same things, you know? And it’s so refreshing to have a conversation with someone who disagrees and challenge you!”

“I can imagine how refreshing that is,” Ron said ironically, but he smiled at Harry. “So… don’t you have to thank me for insisting so much? Are you believing me now about him being your soulmate?”

“I…,” Harry fidgeted with his pyjamas top and looked at Ron, suddenly serious. “Thank you. I haven’t been able to have such a great time for a long time, and I really think that we can be something together.”

“You’re welcome.” Ron could imagine Cupid’s face when he told him. The month hadn’t ended yet, they weren’t even in the last days, and Ron had already succeeded. He’ll ask for a nice desk next to Hermione’s, and then…

“We’re going to meet on Saturday again…”

...then they could talk all day again like in the old times, and with a bit of luck…

“... I hope we kiss then…”

“WHAT?” Ron could feel his dreams shattering into tiny pieces. “You haven’t kissed yet?”

“No...Well, he gave me a little kiss on my cheek before we said goodbye, but we didn’t kiss kiss, you know? Why are you looking like you’re about to cry?”

“Because I am! So you’re telling me that you spend hours with him, come home with a silly smile in your face, and you haven’t even properly kissed? What did you do? Talk about the weather? I didn’t know you had such a strong love for meteorology.”

“But… why are you so disappointed? I mean, I get that you’re a love angel, but we’re meeting again and I really like him…” Harry looked so confused that Ron wanted to slap some sense into him. Didn’t this boy know a thing about basic love?

“Didn’t your parents tell you fairytales growing up?” He asked instead. 

“My parents died in a car crash when I was little. My aunt and uncle raised me. Remember my aunt, the one at the florist shop? And they… well, they weren’t the type to read stories to children. Why? What does that have to do with anything?” Harry asked in confusion.

Ron sighed. In all his years, and he had lived for a long time, he had only had to explain this twice: once to that nice caveman that thought that an offer of raw meat was enough as a proof of love, and other time to that old lady whose soulmate Ron thought was a tuna fish - he had read the name of her soulmate incorrectly. She wasn’t happy about having to kiss a fish on the lips when he confessed to his mistake. 

“A kiss, usually on the lips, is the best proof of love that you can find out there. Of course, there are people who don’t like it, and we have other methods thought for them, but here, the kiss is what will close your case. That’s why all the fairytales end with a kiss, so you humans know what to do when you have your soulmate before you. Unless you’re a pair of idiotic morons that spend seven hours staring at each other's eyes, that is.” He ended with a very pointed look at Harry, who seemed like he was hearing about love kisses for the first time in his life. 

“Well, we’re not at that point yet, but I hope we do that soon,” Harry said with a silly smile and a dreamy expression. Ron would have felt uncomfortable of all the sappy feelings Harry was irradiating if he hadn’t spent the last millennia seeing the same expression over and over. 

“I hope that too.” He stretched his limbs and headed for the door. “I’ll let you sleep now. Think about all the ways you’ll kiss Draco on the lips on Saturday in the meanwhile!”

He left to file the paperwork wishing that by the end of the week he could put a nice pink stamp on it, and get a desk next to Hermione’s.

* * *

_Wednesday, 20th December, 2000_  
4:21 pm  
Harry Potter’s Flat  
London 

He was late with the paperwork as always. He had had the intention of doing it on Monday, but then had been distracted with a neon blue ball he had forgotten he had in his drawer. Then on Tuesday had been the birthday party for that tiny lad in Shows of Affection and he hadn’t wanted to miss it; the lad seemed nice enough and the cake was delicious. And on Wednesday morning he had been talking with Hermione, reminisced about old times, so it was only now that he finally had the time to sit down at his too crowded desk to fill out Harry’s paperwork. And of course, it had to be just then when Harry decided to try to say Ron’s name out loud and summon him. 

“What?” he said as soon as his essence stopped spiraling and formed his body again in Harry’s living room. 

“Whoa, it worked!” Harry said surprised, although he quickly recovered and started pacing from one wall to another. “Draco’s coming in an hour,” he said, looking more nervous than Ron did when he had to work with Snape. 

“So? I thought you were all mushy mushy with him now.” He sat on the couch, as the pacing and the sudden travel to the Earth was making him dizzy. 

“The kiss!” Harry half-screamed. “What if I kiss him and he doesn’t want to see me again? Or what if he kisses me and I kiss him back wrong? Or what if I’m not ready for it?”

Ron put his elbows on his knees and then his head in his hands. This was harder than he had first thought. He knew what was coming and he didn’t like it one bit. Why couldn’t he be like the other angels? Why couldn’t he be like Snape and just tell Harry to suck it up? He sighed and let the wave of empathy ran through him. Mentally, he said goodbye to Pregnancies. 

“Then don’t kiss.” It pained him to say it, but he knew what Harry needed. 

“But… but you told me the other day that we have to kiss to make this work or something.” Ron looked up and saw that Harry looked as confused as a little puppy that sees a cat for the first time. He heart filled with pity for him.

“Yes, I did, but if you aren’t ready then it’s not the time for it. Just do what feels natural and you’ll be fine, alright?”

He could feel his dreams escaping so fast… The better job, the better coworkers, and Hermione. He missed working with her. It was funny and interesting having her in the next desk, and she had admitted that very morning that she missed him too. But he couldn’t force Harry to kiss Draco if he wasn’t ready for it, even if Ron was sure that they were beyond ready. 

“Okay. I think I’ll wait a bit more, then…” Harry said, and the relief he felt was very evident. Ron sighed in defeat again. “Hey, are you alright? You seem… downcast.”

“Oh, no. Yes. Everything’s fine. Thanks. I better go.”

He got up and disappeared to his office again, leaving behind a very confused Harry.

* * *

_Wednesday, 20th December, 2000_  
5:08 pm  
Pregnancies Department  
Cupid’s Corporation 

“I’m an idiot,” Ron said as he dropped into one of the comfy armchairs Hermione had near her desk. That was one of the advantages of Pregnancies, the armchairs. They had regular chairs in Falling In Love. 

“And why are you discovering this just now?” Hermione asked with a half smile while she placed a pile of colourful carpets in a drawer. Ron glared at her. “Sorry, sorry! Why are you saying that then?” 

She sat on the armchair in front of his, and Ron forced himself to focus on what he had come to say and forgot about the beautiful angel he was looking at. 

“I told Harry to not kiss Draco,” he mumbled. 

“What? Why?” Hermione sounded alarmed, and he thought that maybe he had fucked up more than he realised. 

“He isn’t ready! Or, well, he thinks he isn’t. I don’t want their first kiss to be awkward.” He looked at the floor in shame. He was such an idiot. 

“You’re such a lovely idiot,” she said with that fond smile that made Ron’s stomach jump and his heartbeat go crazy. 

“I fucked up, didn’t I?” He waited for Hermione to tell him how he was about to be sent to the worst department out there for his big mistake; however she appeared calm. 

“You didn’t. If they’re ready, they’ll kiss in no time. And I’m sure it will be before New Year’s Eve so you’ll have that promotion. For being such a carefree person you worry a lot,” she added, amused. 

Ron let his head drop into his hands and tried to breathe calmly. All was going to be fine. It didn’t take him long to calm down, the atmosphere in Pregnancies, with the soft pastel colours everywhere and the excited chorus of aws the angels made when their babies were born, was the most peaceful thing Ron had felt since he started this new work. 

“Thanks,” he said, looking at Hermione again. He thought that this was a moment as good as any to confess his feelings, and he opened his mouth to say so, when a red parchment landed on Hermione’s lap and she snapped into business mode. Ron left hurriedly before she blamed him for distracting her.

* * *

_Saturday, 24th December, 2000_  
5:14 pm  
Hogsmeade  
London 

It had been a stressful week for Ron. He had checked on Harry on Thursday, but they hadn’t kissed, although Harry claimed they had been this close (and had put his forefinger and his thumb very close). The next day, Ron complained about humans to Hermione for hours and even thought about talking to Snape about the Harry-Draco situation. By Saturday morning he had sworn on Cupid’s ugliest pants that he’d push Harry into Draco if they kept being such prude gits. 

Harry’s and Draco’s plan for Christmas Eve (not that they had realised what date it was when they agreed on meeting on Saturday) consisted of taking a stroll in Hogsmeade, as well as a beautiful corner of London that displayed many medieval architectural structures and then having dinner together. 

The Christmas decorations and lights made the neighbourhood even more cozy and appealing, and the old houses made it look like the kind of village that appear on Christmas cards. So if a love kiss didn’t take place here, Ron was ready to resign. 

He had followed them, of course. Harry and Draco were walking closely, hands clasped together and looking at each other like the idiots in love they were, and Ron walked a few meters behind, watching them and thinking about where and how to intervene. Hermione walked beside him. 

“Look! Mistletoe!” Draco exclaimed suddenly, pointing to the plant that hovered just above his and Harry's heads. Little bouquets like the one alike were hanging all over Hogsmeade, but it seemed neither Draco nor Harry had noticed them, until Draco pointed that one out. 

A few meters behind, Ron grasped Hermione's arm so tightly that she let out a gasp of pain. 

"Oh! Do you want to…?" Harry's cheeks were blushing as red as the Christmas lights, and Ron noticed that a smile half nervous-half excited was fighting to take over Harry's mouth. 

"Only if you want to!" Draco exclaimed, cheeks a soft pink. 

Ron’s heart stopped beating, Hermione stopped breathing, and Harry and Draco leaned into each other to share a kiss. After a while, the two of them pulled apart and stared at each other smiling. 

“YES!” Ron let go of Hermione’s arm and ran towards them, engulfing them in a big hug. “Finally! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks,” Draco got rid of Ron’s arm and shot him a glare. “For being my love angel, you were very disappointing. I mean, shouldn’t you have made sure this happened before?”

“You told me you were my love angel!” Harry piped up. 

“Er… Don’t get jealous now, Harry, but you were being a git about all this so I had to talk to Draco too; and Draco, I lied to you. Didn’t you have to go to a dinner or something to enjoy your new discovered love for each other?” Ron tried to push them into what he thought was the right direction to Draco’s flat, but they didn’t move. 

“Well, I think I owe you a big thank you, Ron,” Harry said. 

“It’s just my job.”

Harry shook his head and gave him a tight hug while whispering in his ear: “You should do something about Hermione, or are you about to let her wait for you another millennia?” He pulled back with a gentle smile then grasped Draco’s hand and disappeared down the street. 

“Look who has just got a job in Pregnancies,” Hermione said with a wide smile. 

“Oh, yes! I haven’t realised it!” He looked at Hermione and thought that he had better listen to Harry and see what would happen if he confessed his love to his best friend. Maybe she would probably laugh at him and tell him that Cormac is the only one for her…

“Look, mistletoe,” she said, pointing above them. “It would be a pity if we don’t kiss now, don’t you think? It’s what the mistletoe wants us to do.”

Ron couldn’t believe his ears. 

“But… Cormac?”

“I’m telling you I want to kiss you and you want to talk about that idiot Cormac McLaggen?” She frowned. 

“No...I… I want to kiss you too.” 

He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to kiss her because he couldn’t stop grinning , but when he saw how Hermione threw her arms around his neck and put her feet on tiptoe, he knew he could do it. And the kiss… the kiss was the most sweet and wonderful thing he had ever felt. 

He finally understood now why this was the signal that indicated two people were in love.

* * *

_Sunday, 25th December 2000_  
11am  
Cupid’s Office  
Cupid’s Corporation 

Ron waited nervously on his chair in front of Cupid while his boss frowned at the parchments he was reading. 

“Is there any problem with my reports, sir?” he asked when he couldn’t bare the tension anymore. 

“In fact, yes.” Cupid was tiny, a plump old angel that for some odd reason preferred wearing a diaper rather than the robes like the rest of the angels wore. However, that didn’t make him less menacing. “I don’t understand why Hermione Granger helped you with this nor why you spoke with Severus’s human nor why you felt the need to draw little hearts near Granger’s name.”

Fuck. He had forgotten about the hearts. 

“Technically speaking, sir, Hermione didn’t help me with anything, she just went with me a couple of times but she never spoke to the humans.” Ron stopped and looked at Cupid’s face. But he still appeared to look as menacing and his thick grey eyebrows were forming a line over his eyes. He sighed. “And Severus is an idiot and a lazy bat, so I had to do his work for him. He should thank me later, by the way.”

“I don’t appreciate you insulting other angels. Don’t you remember what we learned in the Mediation Room last century?” His eyebrows were even more thick if that was possible. 

“I do, I do! Treat the angels well. Anyway, sir, do I get my promotion? I did well this job, and it was difficult, and I didn’t have the help of Severus, so…” Ron tried his best innocent expression. 

“Fine. You got it. I hope to see you achieve more pregnancies than fallings in love!”

“Of course, sir, you’ll be astounded as how many people will be parents next year! The natality rates will be over the charts!”

How difficult could pregnancies be?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


End file.
